It's unusual for a 13-year-old to be bidding to recapture their old glory, but one Akeley Wood School prodigy will hope to do just that at this week’s English Alpine Skiing Championships.

Kayne Stanway, from Milton Keynes, took home a medal from his final year in the Under-12 category two years ago and has his eyes on another podium finish as competition begins this weekend.

Set to compete in all three events in Bormio – slalom, giant slalom and Super-G – Stanway is hopeful of a top-three turn in his second year as an Under-14.

“This is the third time I’ve completed at the Championships and I’m really looking forward to it,” said Stanway, who trains with Ambition Racing and Ski Milton Keynes Race Team.

“I’d hope to do something similar to my first time and get on the podium again this year because I’m established in my age group.

“Bormio is a big event so there are always lots of racers to compete against.

“There are some of the best racers in my age group so it helps me see how I’m doing. The piste is always good there.

“I do most of my training now out in Austria with Ambition, which I’ve been doing with them for four years now.

“The work we do is good, it’s normally skiing in the morning and then school in the afternoon

“They’ve been working with me on my slalom technique. That’s my favourite discipline, I’m probably best at giant slalom because of the speed so I’m hoping to improve my slalom.”

The Championships, where Olympian Dave Ryding started his career before competing in the World Cup, is one of the biggest annual competitions in the skiing calendar, beginning on February 17.

And Stanway, who gained England honours for the first time in his career earlier this season, has already started on a similar path.

The teenager idolises Ryding, who has twice equalled Britain’s best-ever alpine World Cup finish, the most recent coming earlier this year.

“Dave Ryding is one of my heroes because I think he has one of the best techniques out there,” he said.

“I watch him regularly and try to do what he does in my racing – but also my training. It’s inspiring to see him pushing it at the top of the sport and doing well.”

Snowsport England is the national governing body for skiing and snowboarding in England, aiming to inspire as many people as possible to try snow sports. Find out more about Snowsport England’s affiliated clubs, athletes, competitions, coaching and campaigns here: http://www.snowsportengland.org.uk